


The Loverboy

by cersedshadow



Series: 12 days of Lance [11]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: #Lancemas2019, 5+1 Things, But clothes still on, Gen, Heavy Petting, Lance (Voltron) is a Good Friend, M/M, Making Out, Mentions of Blood, No Gore, Not much tho, Swearing, klance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-09
Updated: 2020-04-09
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:22:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23562253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cersedshadow/pseuds/cersedshadow
Summary: Day 11: The Loverboy‘Idiot’ Keith chided softly, finally making eye contact. Lance felt himself stop breathing. Swirling purple eyes full of liquid warmth, of equal yearning. ‘I told you. I’m already woo’d.’‘Oh’ whispered Lance, something happening in his chest. Something big. His heart physically hurt with all the thumping. ‘Really?’5+1 ways in which Lance lived up to his nickname.
Relationships: Keith/Lance (Voltron), Lance & Voltron Paladins
Series: 12 days of Lance [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1612639
Comments: 7
Kudos: 149





	The Loverboy

**Author's Note:**

> Second to last one of the series. I have completely lost track of what day it is anymore so I think this is coming a bit late. The last two of these are in a 5+1 format cause i love me some of that good shit. Heads up the romantic love section is klance and a little steamier than anything before. If I had to assign it a fruit I suppose it would be a Lime.

  1. **Sibling Love**



Lance heard the front door open and promptly perked up, smile splitting his face. Veronica was back! She had promised him that she would help him build his model spaceship after school and he had been waiting all week! Quickly he shot out of his room, bare feet smacking against the hard wood floors, racing for the stairs. He was halfway down and practically hanging over the bannister, ready to greet his sister, when someone entered the house behind her. His face dropped into a scowl. It was that boy again. The stinky mean one who had been coming around a lot lately and who Lance _hated_. He always made Ronnie feel stressed and stuff and Lance didn’t like him one bit. Of course, when he had told his Mama this she had just laughed at him and accused him of being jealous of someone stealing his sisters attention. Lance vehement denials had fallen on deaf ears.

‘Ronnie!’ he cried, glaring at the guy who had the gall to give him a cheeky wave. Veronica smiled at him, looking sort of tired.

‘Hi Lance. You remember Jason, right? Jason this is my littlest brother Lance.’

Lance continued to scowl as he descended the rest of the stairs, stomping with all his might and pouting uproariously. He came over to Ronnie a hug, pressing his face into her stomach. Still glaring at Jason as he did so. The other boy didn’t seem to notice.

‘Hay there scamp. Nice to see you again.’ Lance turned his head away, ignoring the chump. Veronica huffed at him.

‘Lance’ she said, tired and scolding. Lance drew back from the hug and crossed his arms. Without an ounce of sincerity he muttered a quick greeting.

‘Hi Jason.’ Social responsibility over with he smiled back up at his sister, starting to bounce around eagerly. ‘Can we go make the rocket now?’

‘Rocket?’ said Veronica, frowning.

‘The one Uncle Rodrigo got me. You said you’d help me make it cause you didn’t have club today. You promised! So lets go!’ Lance grabbed her arm and attempted to drag her to the back yard. Ronnie resisted, sharing a look with Jason. Brow pinched.

‘Ah, right, that. Sorry Lance, maybe another time. I’m kind of busy right now.’

Lance let go of her, betrayed. ‘Why not!? You promised!’

She shared another look with an annoyed looking Jason. ‘I’m hanging out with Jason right now’ she hedged.

Lance crossed his arms, scowling up at the guy. Just who did he think he was anyway? ‘Well tell him to go home and hang out with him later. You promised to make the rocket with me today!’

Jason let out an frustrated sigh, glaring pointedly at Veronica. She looked contrite, glancing between the two indecisively. Lance felt hurt well up. Surely, she wasn’t going to break their promise? For some dude from school? Jason cleared his throat unconvincingly, scowling glancing at the stairs. Ronnie grimaced but turned back apologetically.

‘Sorry Lance, tomorrow okay. Just not right now.’

‘But, but…’ said Lance, disbelieving.

‘Come on V’ nudged Jason, looking more and more annoyed. Ronnie sent Lance one more apologetic look before leading the boy deeper into the house. Moving past him like he wasn’t there. Lance watched them go, seeing as Jason reached over to slide his hand round his sister’s waist. The way she turned to smile at him, all tight and fake before moving away just slightly. Lance scowled at their back, running up the stairs behind them. No way was he going to let Ronnie have fun with Jason of all people. Especially if she was going to break their promise. 

Lance managed to squeeze his way in through the door, just as Jason would have shut it on his face. Triumphantly he threw himself onto his sister bed, bouncing slightly. Grabbing Tilda the Whale from her resting place he hugged her close. Completely ignoring Jason he smiled innocently up at his sister. 

‘So what are you two playing?’

Veronica sighed, ‘We’re not playing anything Lance. We’re just hanging out.’

‘Well if you’re not doing anything you can come make my rocket…Jason could help to, I guess.’ Lance allowed with great reluctance. For some reason his generosity did not get him the response he deserved.

‘No Lance. Stop messing and go back to your room. I’ll do the rocket another day.’

‘We’ll then I’ll just hang out with you two instead’ said Lance, not budging one inch.

Ronnie sighed some more and glared at him in her normal way. A sure sign he was getting on her nerves. Something Lance had lots of experience ignoring. His sister put her bag away with a huff and sat down on the bed as well.

‘We’re going to be watching a movie.’

Lance perked up, ‘I like movies!’

‘You won’t like this one’ grumbled Jason from across the room. Lance mightily resisted sticking his tongue out.

‘Why not?’ he snapped back.

‘Cause it’s boring and not for little kids that’s why.’

‘I’m not a little kid, I’m eleven in two weeks!’ This time Lance did stick his tongue out at the guy.

‘Veronica?’ said Jason, sending her another look. Ronnie ran a hand through her hair, looking a stressed.

‘We’ll I suppose he won’t be any bother for the movie’ she said, instantly making Lance light up. Take that Jason!

‘But Ve…’ said Jason, huffing as he too threw himself on the bed. Lance quickly scrambled over his sister’s lap. Making sure to insert himself between the two teenagers and sticking close. Staring up at Jason in triumph.

‘It’ll just be for a bit Jason. He’ll get bored soon’ said Ronnie over his head. Lance scowled slightly but chose not to correct her.

Jason didn’t look happy about it but go to work setting up the movie on Ronnie’s old laptop. Refusing to look at either one of them as he did so. Lance knew his sister well enough to know she was now annoyed with them both but decided to stay silent. Instead snuggling down as the opening music started.

Not fifteen minutes later he was restless. Jason had moved closer as soon as the movie started and not a moment ago had done a stupid fake yawn thing, reaching over Lance to leave his arm resting on Ronnie’s shoulder. Lance felt how she stiffened in response. Being a good little brother Lance decided to poke Jason hard in the side. Getting him to let out a grunt of surprise and flinch away. Lance gave him a quick smile and insincere ‘sorry’ before pretending to concentrate on the movie.

He started fidgeting once more, playing with Tilda the Whale. Enough to get his sisters attention. ‘Don’t you want to go Lance?’ she said, clearly picking up his boredom. Lance stopped moving, sitting up straight. Determined to pay attention.

‘Nope!’ he said, willing to make it through this. It was hard torturous work, but Lance managed to stick it out through the entire movie, just about resisting falling asleep. Jason hadn’t tried his stupid yawn thing again but he had kept reaching over to whisper in Ronnie’s ear. Something about Veronica looking hot in the protagonists clothes. Lance would have poked him again, but it was all he could do to stay away. Now it was Ronnie doing all the fidgeting.

Once the movie was over and the lights turned back on Lance blinked himself back into full wakefulness. Turning to his sister. ‘Are you done hanging out now?’

Ronnie and Jason shared a look, the later gesturing pointedly. Like Lance couldn’t see him or something. Ronnie grimaced, ‘Sorry Lance. Why don’t you go back to your room.’

‘Nah’ he rolled off the bed to poke around the room. Keeping himself busy. Unfortunately, this gave Jason the chance to get right up close to Ronnie, putting his hand high on her leg. Lance looked over, glaring.

‘Look, brat, your sister told you to go so just go would you’ said the unwanted guests, voice tight.

.

‘Don’t want to’ sing songed Lance, ‘besides I’m not allowed. Mama says Ronnie can’t have boys in her room without leaving the door open so I’m keeping an eye on you’ he said, puffing himself up.

Jason grit his teeth while Ronnie face palmed. ‘Mamas not here Lance.’

Lance waved her away, poking around Ronnie’s nick nacks as a whispered discussion broke out between the two teenagers. Quickly growing heated. Lance listened in, rolling his eyes. He was literally five feet away, how deaf did they think he was?

‘Get the brat out of here.’

‘I’ve been trying. What exactly do you want me to do?’

‘Kick him out! I didn’t come around here to babysit.’

‘I thought you came over to spend some time with me’ responded Ronnie, starting to sound more venomous.

‘Yeah, alone! Not with the pre-pubescent brigade watching.’

‘Well maybe you should come around another day. Or just be patient. He’s just bored cause everyone else is out now. Once my older borther gets home he’ll go bother them instead.’

‘Yeah but by then your parents will be back.’

Lance watched Ronnie scowl deeply at a fuming Jason, suddenly enraged. ‘And what should that matter. We can just hang out some other time’ she hissed.

Jason continued glaring, glancing over to find Lance staring at them both. Lance startled and quickly looked away, pretending to be engrossed in the small pebble of river glass he had been fiddling with.

‘Oi brat’ snapped Jason, making him look up in alarm as the boy climbed off the bed. Suddenly looming over his small form.

‘What?’ he snapped back, effecting his own glare.

‘It’s time for you to go. You’ve bugged us enough. Get out.’

‘Don’t wanna’ said Lance mulishly. Crossing his arms and standing his ground. Wishing he was bigger.

‘Too bad, we don’t want you here. So get off you little fucker and stop bothering us.’

‘Hay!’ snapped Ronnie standing herself. ‘Don’t talk to him like that!’ She went ignored, Jason not even turning to look from where he was suddenly very close. Glaring down at Lance who stared at him wide eyed.

‘Make me’ Lance challenged, smirking. Much to his surprise the boy snarled and made to do just that, reaching forward to grab Lance by his arm and dragging him to the door.

Lance cried out, not expecting the sudden move but quickly started wriggling. Kicking his legs and dropping his weight. Trying to poke Jason in his side. Being the youngest of five, rough housing was nothing new. Jason struggled, trying to grab his other arm and heave him up by force.

‘Got off, get off, get off!’ Lance screamed. Ronnie quick to jump to his defence, spinning Jason around by the shoulder. Looking furious.

‘Let go of him! What do you think you’re doing?!’

‘Don’t interfere!’ snapped Jason, only fuelling Veronicas wrath. Lance kept struggling, trying to claw his way out of the iron grip on his arm.

‘Interfere! He’s my brother. Get your hands off him!’ she snarled, ripping Lance from Jason’s hold. The boy spun to face her, sneering with rage.

‘The little fucker won’t leave Veronica! I’m doing us a favour. You should have thrown his ass out to start with!’

‘Don’t you dare talk about my little brother like that!’ snarled Ronnie in response, moving Lance behind her. Lance shook his head, reorienting himself and glared up at Jason in turn.

‘What, you’re going to take his side now you bitch? I’ve been asking to come over for ages and you’ve been putting me off like some kind of fucking prude. And now this is what I have to put up with. I should have known your family would all be as fucking annoying as you.’

Lance stared wide eyed as the two teenagers glared at each other, teeth bared. He had never seen his sister look so angry. Not even when he fed her English assay to the goats that one time. ‘You know what Jason’ said Veronica, voice dangerously low. ‘I don’t know why I ever invited you round in the first place. Get out of my house.’

‘What? Oh come on V, don’t be a bitch.’ 

‘Get out Jason!’ The strengths of Veronicas roar surprised them all. ‘I’ve had enough. Get out and don’t you dare come near me or my brother again. I don’t want to see your face ever again.’

For a moment it looked like Jason might try and hit Ronnie, hands balled tight, panting in fury. Eventually he spun, swinging the door open with a slam and storming down the stairs. There was the sound of the front door opening before being closed hard enough to make the house shake. Not before Jason made a few last parting words.

‘Well fuck you too you bitch! Fucking physcopath. Have fun fucking you’re little brother. You’re lucky I even liked you, you fucking cow. You’re not that hot anyway. Fuck!’

Lance stood by his sister, looking up at her in the left-over silence. Watching as her face slowly fell into itself. Veronica stumbled back into the room, falling onto the bed, head in her hands. Slowly Lance approached, hovering close.

‘Ronnie?’ no answer, ‘Are you okay? I’m sorry’ he mumbled, eyes getting moist. Lip trembling. Feeling an up swelling of guilt. Ronnie sniffed, once. It broke Lance’s heart. 

‘No, no don’t be. It’s alright. It wasn’t your fault. It’s okay.’ She said, not looking up.

Lance bit his lip, not knowing what else to do. He’d never meant to make his sister sad. He just hadn’t wanted her hanging out with Jason. ‘I didn’t mean to make you mad.’

‘I’m not mad Lance’ Veronica finally looked up, having calmed herself down enough. She gave him a tired smile before falling back onto the bed. Arms spread like a starfish. Lance scrambled up over her. Flopping over her stomach lengthways, winding her and leading to them tussling slightly as she tried to playfully push him off.

After a bit of giggling from them both she gave up. Letting him do what he wanted. Lance picked up Tilda the Whale, putting her on Veronicas chest as a peace offering. She picked it up silently, fiddling with the well-worn cotton. Staring into the glassy eyes.

‘Jason was mean’ Lance said nervously after some time had passed.

Veronica sighed, throwing an arm over her eyes, Tilda bouncing away. ‘Yeah he kind of was.’

Lance frowned, ‘why did you even bring him over?’

‘I don’t know’

‘Why not?’

‘Cause I don’t know Lance! He kept asking and people kept bugging me about it, so I did.’ Lance blinked in surprise, crawling up to grab Ronnie’s arm and take it off her face so he could look her in the eye.

‘Who was bugging you?’ he asked, genuinely curious.

‘Everyone! Mum, Marco, Luis, Grandma, my friends at school. There were all like, ‘Jason really likes you’, ‘you spend a lot of time with Jason’, ‘why don’t you go out with Jason’ and ‘Jason seems like a nice lad’. They never stop! So I thought I would give him a chance. Ask him around since that’s what everyone wanted me to do. 

Lance thought about this for a time, ‘Did you like him?’

Ronnie sighed, long and loud. ‘Not really’ she admitted. ‘Everyone just kept acting like I should or something.’ Lance remained quiet, not knowing what to say. Huffing he lay down next to his sister, half on top of her again. After a little bit Ronnie glanced over at him, looking sly. ‘You want to know a secret.’

‘Yeah’ said Lance instantly. He loved secrets.

‘I would have liked to invite his sister. ’

‘Like, as a friend?’ Lance asked with some confusion.

‘No dummy, the other kind of like.’ Lance mouth formed an oh of understanding. He flet enlightened.

‘What’s her name?’

‘Lucy’ Veronica sighed.

Lance also thought about this for some time. Eventually a slow grin formed on his face and he wiggled. Ronnie saw his look and immediately frowned at him, knowing he was up to something.

‘What?’

‘Ronnie’s got a crush’ he sing songed, grinning.

‘No I don’t!’ was the instant denial, ‘I just think she’s…pretty, is all’

‘Ronnie has a crush on Lucy’ Lance continued, not buying it at all. ‘She wants to hold her. She wants to kiss her.’

‘Shut up you little turd’ said Ronnie, springing up to try and grab him. Lance slithered away, jumping from the bed, shouting all the while.

‘Ronnie and Lucy sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G, first comes love…’

‘Come here you scamp. You can’t run from me!’ screamed Veronica, chasing his pounding feet down the hall.

  1. **A Childs Love**



‘I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!!’ screamed Lance, red in the face and spitting all across the living room table. His Mama continued to look down at him with crossed arms, still angry but with hurt creeping in. Lance was too mad to notice.

‘Don’t shout at me Leandro. You can’t go and that’s final’ said his Mama resolutely.

Lance screamed, a wordless cry of rage before stamping his feet up and down. So full of anger he didn’t know what to do with himself. ‘You never let me do anything! Rachal got her birthday trip!’

‘Rachel wanted to go to the beach, not the international space station in America’ snapped his Mama. Having gone over this argument several times before.

Lance snarled in response, ‘You promised I could do what I wanted! You promised!’

‘Within reason I said. Going to America isn’t possible. Just choose something else.’

‘No! I wanna go. I wanna go, I wanna go, I wanna go!’ he screamed, raising his voice with every reiteration. Him Mama was unimpressed, having had four loud rambunctious kids before this. It would take more than one screaming tantrum to move her heart.

‘You can’t go and that’s final. Either pick something else on you won’t have a birthday trip at all.’ Snapped his Papa, having just entered the kitchen. Drawn in by the screaming.

‘No!’ cried Lance once more. Rounding on them both, ‘I hate you. You don’t love me! If you did you would let me go!’

‘Don’t be ridiculous darling. We just saying…’

Lance was in no mood to listen, flinging his arm out against the counter, just wanting to hit something. His hand caught a plate, sending it crashing to the ground. The sound of it shattering startled him briefly into the silence. The destruction giving him a sharp spike of satisfaction.

A feeling that was immediately dashed by his Papa’s furious retribution, ‘That is it! You’re grounded! Go to your room!’

Lance whirled, eyes wide and ready to fight for his freedom, ‘but…’

‘No buts! I’ve had it up to here with you Lance. Go to your room right now or there will be no birthday trip.’

Lance could tell his Papa was being serious by the twitch of his moustache and the hard eyes staring down at him. Tears of frustration welled up in his eyes as Lance stamped his foot once more, screeched as long and loud as he could and stormed up to his room. Slamming his door behind him Lance threw himself down on the bed face first. Screaming and beating the covers as the first hiccupping tears spilled forth.

‘Hate you!’ he screeched one more time, words muffled by the pillow.

Eventually, through the tedium of his solitary confinement, Lance’s rage cooled. He kept pouting for a long time after but seeing as none of his thumping or banging had garnered any further attention, he had to resign himself to being ignored and bored. His Mama wouldn’t let him starve but he knew he wouldn’t be allowed to come down have dinner with the family either. Instead getting it alone later. Along with no pudding. Just thinking about it made Lance pout harder, spread eagle on his small bed and staring up at his glow in the dark stars.

Hours later the door slowly opened, Rachel poking her head around. Seeing as he didn’t jump up to shout at her she sighed and flounced her way in. Bouncing onto her own bed on the opposite side of the narrow room. Her face made it clear she thought he was being stupid.

‘Mama’s really sad you know’ Lance blinked up at the ceiling. Caught off guard by his older sister. He turned to frown at her in confusion.

‘What? I thought she was mad?’

‘Oh yeah, Papa’s really mad at you for throwing a tantrum’ Rachael rolled her eyes, like such childishness was beneath her. Like she hadn’t had her own screaming meltdown the other day when Papa refused to get her the pink sparkly scrunchy cause it cost more. Apparently, he was ruining her _entire life_ by making her wear the grey one.

‘Mama’s, like, sad though. Cause you said you hated her and smashed the plate.’

‘It was just a stupid plate’ Lance pouted, starting to feel the guilt well up.

‘Idiot, it was that plate Louis painted for her on Mama’s day one year.’

‘Oh’ said Lance. Definitely feeling guilty now. ‘Well, it was ugly anyway. Louis’s rubbish at drawing.’

‘Yeah but mama really liked it. Plus, she’s sad cause you said you didn’t love her anymore.’

‘But that’s not true!’ burst out Lance, sitting up in alarm. ‘I was just mad cause she wouldn’t let me go on my trip when she promised we could go wherever I want!’

‘Well Mama doesn’t think so. Cause you were so mean to her when she said you could go somewhere else’ said Rachael, with all the authority and certainty of an older sibling.

Lance bit his lip, feeling a worried churning in his stomach. He really hadn’t meant to make Mama sad. He just wanted to go to the space station! What if he made her _really_ sad? Like really _really_ sad. Sad enough for her not to talk to him anymore. Lance vaguely remembered screaming something about her not loving him. He bit his lip, trying to stop it trembling to no avail. Eventually the tears started to come. Rachel looked on in alarm.

‘What! What’s wrong? Don’t cry!’

‘I-I said I d-dint love her’ sobbed Lance, breaking down. Grabbing his pillow and crying into it. Rachael fidgeted, confused and unsure but mostly annoyed. Her brother was such a drama queen. Why did _she_ have to share the room with the cry baby? ‘And now she thinks it’s true’ wailed Lance, distraught, thoughts and feelings spiralling. ‘What if…what if she keeps being m-mad at me. Wh-what if sh-she doesn’t l-love me anymore.’

Rachael came over, patting his shoulder and making shushing noises as Lance continue to cry. ‘Don’t be silly. I’m sure she won’t think that…probably.’ Unsurprisingly this did not inspire confidence. Lance cried harder. ‘Well I’m sure you can do something to make it better!’ she said, exasperated.

Lances sobs quietened, cheeks wet as he looked up at her as if seeking salvation. ‘Y-you think so?’

Put on the spot Rachael hesitated, mind now racing, ‘well, of course. Its Mama, she won’t be mad forever! That’s, like, a _really_ long time. She’s old, she won’t live that long.’

Lance bit his lip, thinking about this, ‘But-but I don’t want her to be mad at all.’

‘Well then you should do something to apologise. Mamas always telling us to apologise’ Rachael continued, nodding her head with authority.

‘Like what?’

Rachael paused in her nodding, coming up blank. ‘Well, I mean…something special. Cause you were really naughty and stuff, so you can’t just say sorry. Maybe you could get her something. Like a present!’ she exclaimed, warming to the idea. She was a genius.

‘Like what?’

Rachael huffed; must she think of everything? ‘I don’t know! It’s your present. Think of it yourself! Now stop being a cry baby and come play dolls with me. I want to finish the giant bunny takeover of the puny tyrannosaur people.’

‘They’re not puny!’ defended Lance, scrabbling with her to the mess of plush toys, dolls and action figures on the floor. His mind was whirring though, even as he defended the puny tyrannosaur people valiantly with the mega barbie doll of doom. What could he do to make it up to Mama? Rachael was right, he couldn’t just apologise. He had been super, _super_ naughty. Breaking the plate and all.

Lance blinked, struck with inspiration. Letting his sister savagely attack his defensive formation with a tiger plush of ferocious fluffiness. He had just had the best idea ever! No way his Mama would stay mad at him with a present that awesome!

Later that night, when the house was sleeping and the only thing to hear was the creak of the wood settling and the swoosh of the wind from the beach, little Lance blinked awake and got moving. Very quietly he crawled out of bed, shuffling slowly so as not to wake Rachael. Which he probably didn’t need to worry about; considering his older sister slept through tropical storms without a single twitch. Keeping to stealth mode Lance gently slipped her paint case from under the bed. Wincing when he knocked over a few various things; a slinky, a plastic smerf head; a misshapen pottery attempt, the general detritus of a room well loved. 

Paints and brushes in hand he made his way from the room. Making sure not to open the door wide enough to squeak and hopping down the stairs in the exact way so not to cause a creak. Marco had taught him the rhythm of it months ago in return for not grassing him up for sneaking out with that Lisa girl. There was just about enough moon light spilling into the kitchen from his to find the light switch, though it took him digging out the footstall to reach it. Flicking it on Lance held his breath, expecting his Mama to appear at any moment. Lance swore she had a sixth sense for trouble.

Nothing happened, Lance looked around. The kitchen seemed…wired, being so still. Lance couldn’t remember a time when it was so empty, someone was always in there. If it wasn’t his immediate family ii was his Aunts and Uncles, or his cousins, or the book club ladies, or his dads work buddies, the local school kids. Sometimes it felt like half the neighbourhood was making its way through their kitchen. The quiet was eerie.

Lance wasn’t going to let some heebie jeebies stop him from completing his mission. Getting to work he opened up the paint box, arranging the colours on the table. Standing on the chair to do so. Then he grabbed the brushes and dunked them in a glass of water. Now he just needed the last piece before he could get down to business. Lance pushed the foot stool up to the counter and used it to scramble onto the work surface. Standing on the counter, a serious offence if his Mama found out, Lance was now tall enough to reach the cupboards. He opened them up, gazing at the plate selection therein.

Lance paused, pouting. He couldn’t just pick any plate for this. It had to be perfect. Slowly, he took each plate out and inspected it. The McClain’s had amassed a motley collection of tableware in their lives. No two plates were the same. Lance passed up any plate that was coloured or had a pattern already. His plan wouldn’t mean anything if his masterpiece couldn’t be appreciated. In the end this left him with only two options. A small white plastic plate about half the size of the others, normally only used to serve snacks, or a larger plate with a flower ring round the edge. Lance contemplated the plates seriously, his previous rejections strewn all over the kitchen. He couldn’t help the frown that came to his face. Neither of the plates were what he wanted.

Lance worried for a moment, wondering what to do. He could use one of these plates and do the best he could or… slowly his eyes trailed over through the arch to the living room. To the display cabinet at the end. A cabinet that was practically sacred in the McClain household and Not. To. Be. Touched, but which Lance new contained some nice white plates. China, his mama said. A wedding present. Lance bit his lip, indecisive, eyes trailing to the less than stellar plastic plates. Mind made up he hopped down the chair and rushed over to the cupboard, inching it open like a treasure chest. His Mama never used these plates anyway. He was sure she wouldn’t mind him taking just one. Not once he made it better.

Lance ever so slowly picked up the first plate on the pile. It was much heavier than the plastic ones. There was a kind of raised pattern on the edges but the entire thing was stark white. In Lances eyes it made the perfect canvas. Slowly he tottered back to the kitchen table, placing the plate down reverently. Standing above it, brush at the ready, Lance paused once more. He blinked, waiting for inspiration to strike.

What could he do? He couldn’t draw just _anything_. It needed to be perfect! Lance chewed his lip, brow scrunched as the agony of indecision took him prisoner. Slowly Lance reached for the green paint. Rachael said Mama was sad cause he had destroyed the plate Louis had made, so if he just painted this plate like that everything should be alright. Then again Louis was a terrible artist, if Lance copied his horrible drawing then Mama might be even sadder. He would just have to improve upon it a bit. Just a little bit. He could do a dragon, or a robot, or a stars hip, or a mermaid! They always made things better.

Feeling like he had solved a difficult problem Lance got to work, opening paints as he went. The brush falling messily upon the fine white canvas of the antique china. He spilled several drops across the table and knocked the water over once but that was alright. Mama could clean it up in the morning. Lance finished his drawing, having filled the entire space with his Mama’s smiling face and an approximation of a whale. Perfect!

…Only, he kind of been hoping to include that mermaid, and the rocket ship for that matter. Smearing his messy hands down his pajamas Lance contemplative looked back towards the cabinet. There had been so many plates in there, surely his Mama wouldn’t mind him taking just one more. One to replace the one he smashed and one to say sorry. That seemed about right. Though, if he was doing that he should probably make one for Papa too. It would only be right.

Lance went to fetch another plate, young mind awash with ideas.

Rosa McClain yawned, taking the stairs blind from memory, slippers shuffling. She stopped, aware that something was wrong. Off, somehow. It took a little bit for her sleepy mind to place it, feeling a tingle of apprehension when she did. Chaos was the usual order of things in the McClain household but even they had their ingrained routines and things being out of place tended to mean only one thing: someone was up to no good.

The kitchen light was on. Closing her eyes Rosa took a deep breath. Preparing herself for whatever was to come. It really was too early for this. Couldn’t the kids at least wait until breakfast was over to start causing havoc? Slowly she rounded the arch way separating the living room from the kitchen. Uncovering a scene of chaos. There was paint _everywhere_. All over the table, the floor, the chair, the counters and most especially all over Lance. Who was asleep, laid spread eagle over the table and his latest work. Caught red handed with his crime.

Rosa looked around with wide eyes, taking in the damages. The cupboard was open and the plates were everywhere, laid out like a smorgasbord. There was water on the floor from an up turned glass and several half empty and rapidly congealing paint pots. Lance slept on, little chest rising up and down in peaceful dreams. For all her good temper Rosa could feel a rage coming on her. First yesterday and now this? What had he been thinking?

She stormed into the room, avoiding the paint splodges as best she good and coming to loom over her youngest. Mouth open and ready to start the scolding of Lances young life she spotted the embossing around the edge of one of the plates. Recognising instantly the fine china, even with a splodge representation of dog on it. Her eyes darted around the kitchen table, seeing several more of her finest plates with their own colourful drawings.

The feeling in her chest could no longer be called rage. That was too small a word. To contained. She felt ready to erupt. An explosion of temper like never before. She breathed deeply, arms coming to ready position at her hips, glare primed and aimed down at the still innocently resting form of her youngest son. The little bugger was going to regret the day he had ever been born when she was done with him! Forget his birthday gift, he was going to be grounded until next year! How dare he!?

Just as she was about ready to fire her eyes caught something else. A little detale half hidden under Lance’s splayed form. Innocuous it nevertheless paused the blazing fire in her chest. Sixth sense tingling. Rosa gently nudged Lance’s red spotted arm out of the way. Revealing the last plate he had been working on. This one had no pictures, just blue curly letters spelling one messy word. Misshapen and squiggly. Innocently sincere.

‘Sorry Mama <3’

Awww, the rage flew out of her like a popped balloon. A smile spreading across her face. Slowly Rosa took a deep breath, surveying the damages once more. She would need to mop and scrub the cupboards. If she was careful, and those were the easy to remove water soluble paints she thought they were, with some careful attention her china should be back to the way it was before lunch.

Lance mumbled, the slight shift of his person awakening him. Yawning he looked up to see his Mama in her dressing gown smiling down at him. Not being fully awake he smiled back at her, lifting his arms in silent request. Rosa huffed but answered as she always would, sweeping down and lifting him into a hug. Lance snuggled down, safe. Slowly he blinked around the room, taking in his work. Last night’s memories coming back to him.

‘Mama’ he murmured as she pressed a kiss to his forehead. About the only part of the boy not covered in some shade of paint. ‘’m sorry. I didn’t mean to break the plate! Or say I hated you! Or say you didn’t love me!’

‘I know baby. Is that’s what this is all this mess is about?’

‘I wanted to make you present. So you would keep loving me.’

‘Oh baby, nothing would ever stop me loving you. Nothing! No matter how much you scream and shout.’

Lance hugged her tight about the neck, practically with strangling strength. Rosa laughed, sighing as she looked around her kitchen. A couple good hours of cleaning laid out before her, wonderful. She snuggled her little boy close, pressing her check to his soft hair, glancing once again to the decorated plates. ‘Sorry’ sparkled back at her in the dawn.

Maybe she would keep just one. As a reminder.

  1. **Platonic Love**



Lance wasn’t sure what he was expecting when he walked onto the bridge but it certainly wasn’t a grumpy Pidge and concerned Shiro. Lance sent a questioning look over to Keith, who was hovering around the edges of the room as usual. He got a blank look in response. Lance huffed, honestly what had he expected from the mullet? Helpful input?

‘Yo, gang. What’s hanging?’ he asked, slouching further into the room. Shiro looked up and shot him a welcoming smile but Pidge remained curled up on the sofa. Her only response to groan faintly.

‘Hello Lance’ greeted Shiro as he drew close before going back to frowning worriedly down at their youngest member. Lance looked to him and the curled-up Pidge.

‘You alright there Pidgey?’

Pidge huffed, annoyed, curling into a even tighter ball. ‘I’m fine Lance. Go away.’

‘Now Pidge, Lance’s just concerned. As am I. You haven’t moved from the sofa since I left you here an hour ago, you didn’t come to training and you haven’t talked to any of us all day. You’re not even working! What’s wrong? Are you sick? Injured?’ Shiro was no doubt repeating himself. Pidge just shrugged her shoulders and rolled her eyes.

‘Nothing! Nothing’s wrong! Stop asking me that’ she snapped back petulantly.

‘But Pidge…’ If Lance didn’t know better he would say Shiro was whining.

‘No! Leave me alone!’ Pidge grumbled, curling in on herself tighter and turning her head to face the back of the sofa. Obviously done with the conversation. Lance watched the whole thing with rapidly raising eyebrow. Not sure what to think. Pidge could be snappy at times, but she was generally courteous with Shiro at least. Plus, it wasn’t like Shiro was disturbing her work, the usual cause for Pidges wrath. All she was doing was sitting there. Curled up on herself, hugging her stomach. Grumbling with her brow pinched ever so slightly in pain.

The daja-vu hit Lance, by passing his brain and going straight to his mouth. ‘Oh snap! You’re on your period.’ Lance blinked, listening to his own words ring out in the startling silent bridge. Wishing a hole would open and fling him out into space. Judging by Pidges murderous glare she would be happy to give him a push.

There was one good thing about Lance’s lack of filter and that was that it had Shiro paling and rapidly backing away. Arms raised like Pidge’s menstrual cycle would reach out and bite him. Lance tried to stutter out an apology to Pidge, feeling the blush sweep over his face. Not noticing Keith stomp over.

‘What? What does that mean? Is that why she’s just sitting there’ he asked gruffly, arms crossed and frown firmly in place.

Pidge groaned, giving up on hiding it anymore. ‘Yes Keith. I’m suffering some cramps okay. So sorry I wasn’t at training but I figured none of you wanted to have to clean stains from the floor.’

What a lovely picture their Green Paladin painted. Shiro palled even further, looking strangely grey. Keith tilted his head, blank. ‘Stains? Stains of what?’

‘God Keith, blood! What else?’ Pidge rolled upright to glare at the three of them properly, the look losing some of its effectiveness when she continued to hug stomach tight.

Neither Pidge nor Lance were expecting the Red Paladins sudden alarm. ‘You’re bleeding!’ he cried, catching everyone off guard. Pidge jumped at the outburst. ‘What! Why are we standing here? Why aren’t you doing anything? We need to get you to the med bay!’

‘Keith that’s not…’ started Shiro, placing a calming hand on his shoulder, trailing off. He’d gone through being grey and was now looking slightly green. Eyeing up Pidge’s stomach like it might just attack.

Lance rolled his eyes, disbelieving. ‘She doesn’t need the med bay mullet. It’s just a period.’

‘But Pidge said she was bleeding?!’

Lance and Pidge looked at the Red Paladin blankly before sharing a glance. Pidge groaned, falling back to smack her head against the sofa. Now that Lance was looking, she too was rather pale.

‘Worse day of my fucking life’ muttered Pidge, with a hiss as another cramp decided to eat out her insides.

‘Keith, dude, that’s what a period is…you do know what a period is, right?’

Lance looked at Keith’s blank face and realised that, no. No he did not. This elicited mix feelings in Lance. One the one hand; how!? How had the mullet gone through seventeen years in his life and never run into the monthly biological phenomenon that plagues half the human race? On the other hand; Lance couldn’t help feeling a flash of superior satisfaction. Pleased that there was something he could lord over the other. Even if it was just basic biology.

‘Oh my god Mullet, how do you not know this!? It’s like, sex-ed 101!’ Lance exclaimed throwing his hands in the air.

A furious scowl came over Keith’s face, snapping at the Blue Paladin. ‘Well explain it to me then!’

‘Dude, she bleeding cause it’s, like, that time of the month. All girls go through it, it’s nothing to worry about.’

‘The why did she say she was in pain!? That doesn’t sound like nothing. She needs to go to the pod.’

‘She doesn’t need a pod!’ cried Lance, fed up with the whole thing.

‘Yes, she does!’

‘No, she doesn’t! You don’t even know what’s going on Mullet, so your opinions don’t count.’

‘Yes they do! Where she even bleeding from anyway? I can’t see anything?’

Pidge’s face flamed red, screeching into her hands. Shiro joined in with her blushing.

‘You can’t just ask that!?’ lance cried, flushed with second hand embarrassment.

Pidge jumped up from the sofa, throwing her own hands into the air. ‘That’s it! I’m out! There’s to much stupid testosterone in this stupid room for me to deal right now. I’m going to my room.’

‘Wait, Pidge!’ called Keith, looking worried and like he was going to stop the Green Paladin from storming her way out. Luckily Shiro was quick enough to hold him back. Lance watched Pidge’s small retreating back, shoulders hunched to her ears, and couldn’t help feeling a bit bad, and not a little guilty.

Yes, Shiro had been bugging her before this so it likely her problem would have come to light anyway but she hadn’t needed him and Keith starting a shouting match about it. Especially when it was clear at least one of them has no clue about anything to do with the female menstrual cycle. Lance would have to make it up to her somehow. Come to think about it, how _was_ Pidge coping with it? Lance doubted she had any of the necessary supplies on her when they left earth, unless she had some squirreled away in her backpack. It was clear she didn’t have any medicine to relieve the cramps at least, if the groaning meant anything.

‘Shiro! What are you doing? We need to go help her?’

Shiro sighed, still looking a little green around the gills. ‘Calm down Keith. Pidge will be fine. She doesn’t need us bothering her right now.’

Keith groaned, clearly exasperated. ‘But you said she was bleeding and in pain! Why is no one worried about this? Will you just explain it to me already?!’

Lance looked to Shiro, expecting him to provide an appropriately down to the facts explanation but the Black Paladin was frozen in horror. Mouth open but no words coming out. Lance was starting to worry. He had never seen the man so panicked. Not even when running from aliens!. Lance sighed, deciding to take one for the team and educated the ridiculous Mullet Head. Even if they weren’t floating through deep space someone would have to eventually explain things to Keith. Better Lance than whatever poor unfortunate girl he managed to trick into being his girlfriend.

‘Cool it Mullet. Pidge won’t be bleeding for long. Like three, seven days tops. And she will be fine!’ stressed Lance, seeing the horror appearing on the others face. ‘It’s normal. Every girl goes through it once a month once they hit puberty.’

‘But…but why? Why is she bleeding?’

‘Dude, that’s what a period is. The messy part of the menstrual cycle. All the tissue in her uterus is coming loose and…well, exiting out the nearest hole. Cause she isn’t having a baby ya’know.’

Shiro was edging into the avocado shade of the colour spectrum and Keith now looked like he was rapidly on the way to joining him. The Blue Paladin simply raised an eyebrow, not getting what their deal was. His sisters had been much more graphic when he asked and he’d had to put up with all the other not so nice symptoms. Plus clean up the bathrooms bins when the time past. Racheal was such a bitch like that.

‘My word! That sounds positively atrocious. What are you talking about?’ Lance looked over, finding he wide cerulean eyes of Allura staring back at him. Having evidently walked in an at inopportune moment.

Shiro gulped loudly before rallying himself to reply. ‘It’s nothing Princess. Pidge is just going through something right now that’s making her feel unwell. Its normal for humans, don’t worry. Lance was just explaining to Keith, because he didn’t know about it either.’

‘Oh dear, will she be alright? Should I go see her?’

‘She’ll be fine Princess. Like Shiro said its normal’ reassured Lance, smiling at the dazzling beauty as she glided into the room.

‘This is no joking matter Lance. What you were describing sounds positively awful. What if it’s contagious? I can’t be having all the paladins falling ill. The Galra empire could strike at any moment!’ Allura exclaimed passionately. Looking like she too was about to storm out of the room and drag the Green Paladin kicking and screaming to the pod room.

‘Relax, relax! It’s not contagious! It’s just a normal human thing. None of the rest of us will get sick and Pidge will be better in a few days. Maybe even few hours.’

This didn’t seem to reassure Allura all that much but it at least gave her pause, lips pursing in thought. ‘Well then, should I be expecting the rest of my paladins to suffer like Pidge. How common is this illness?’

‘Ahh, no Princess you don’t have to worry. This…illness only effects girls. The rest of us will be alright.’

‘Oh, well that is a bit of a relief. But are we sure Pidge will be okay? Lance was saying something about loose tissue and bleeding?’

‘Ahh, well that’s what happens whenever girls go through their periods. You know, the normal.’ Allura frowned at Lance, her own blank looks making a stone drop to his stomach. It was one thing to explain the workings of a girl’s time of the month to Keith, that was almost funny, but to the _Princess_. Why did it have to be him? ‘Alteans have periods, right? You know, the thing that happens when the body re-sets itself after getting ready for a baby.’

Allura scoffed, ‘how preposterous. Altean’s only prepare to have a baby when they intend to try and get pregnant. Preparing for a pregnancy that won’t happen would be a huge waste of energy and resources.’

‘Oh’ said Lance blankly, processing that. ‘Well humans are a little more…inefficient than Alteans. Once a human is…mature, females will prepare to have a baby every month. And when they don’t get pregnant all this preparation gets kind of, bodily reset. Which is what a period is.’

‘…I see’ said Allura at length. Looking at the collected humans on the bridge with that particular look of hers that spoke volumes about how ridiculous she thought their species was. She had worn it almost constantly during their first training session. Surprised that a single species could be so incredibly fragile. ‘And the…bleeding you were talking about.’

‘When the body is preparing for a baby a, like, wall of tissue and blood builds up on the inside of the uterus, where the baby would be. Only when no pregnancy happens, and the reset comes along this is kind of…shed over the course of a few days. It results in bleeding…err, down there.’ Finished Lance, flaming red but gamely keeping eye contact with the Princess’s increasingly horrified if fascinated gaze. He only broke contact to make a clear glance towards his own crotch. Indicating exactly where ‘down there’ is on a human. That seemed to be the same at least in some regards for Alteans as Lance spotted a small pink blush decorating the Princess’s cheeks. In any other situation he would be boasting about making her blush.

‘Oh…that sounds…messy. You are sure this is normal?’

‘Yep. Completely normal. Every human female goes through it. Well, unless they get pregnant, I guess.’

‘I see. Does Pidge require any medical assistance?’

‘No, no, no, she’ll be fine. If anything, she probably doesn’t want us bothering her.’

‘Well…that’s good then.’

‘No it isnt!’ broke in Keith, still looking worried if a little paler than when Lance last looked. ‘Even if all this…bleeding and stuff is normal she was still in pain. We should help her.’

Allura looked startled at the news, glancing from the Red Paladin to Lance with questioning alarm. Lance groaned internally. Why couldn’t Keith just trust him and keep his mouth shut!? It was clear he didn’t know what he was talking about anyway.

‘Yeah, well no one said your insides liquefying and exiting out of you was a pleasant process. Side effects like cramps and stuff are normal. My older sister used to say it was like having her stomach scraped out with meat cleaver. There not much you can do for them other than pop a few pain meds and grab a hot water bottle. And chocolate. That always helps.’

‘What kind of symptoms?’ asked Allura, causing Lance to let out another groan. The Altean Princess was pure and good in every way but she could be insatiably curious at times. Especially when it came to learning about anything human from her new paladins. It didn’t help that Keith was also looking at him like he held all the answers and would shank him to get them if needed. Shiro, the traitor, had slowly backed his way around from the circle. Starting to sweat when Lance mentioned the meet cleaving and making a full on break for it, power walking out the door, when Allura got started on asking about the minutiae of the differences between male and female human anatomy. Lance promised himself he would exact revenge.

What seemed like hours later, Lance was finally released from the sudden sex-ed interrogation by the Princess and Keith, who honestly knew distressingly little about any of it. Lance boggled, he really did, at the death of that boys’ ignorance sometimes. It was like he had never even glances at a TV. Honestly, Lance’s idea that Keith was actually a desert hermit crab pretending to be a eighteen year old boy was gaining weight.

Walking a free man through the castle once again Lance couldn’t help thinking back to his musing earlier. Wondering if there was anything he could do for Voltrons youngest member in her time of need. Pidge had been a prickly, but true, friend once Lance had got through their armour of sarcastic comments. Offering her headphones when he mentioned trouble sleeping and playing video games with him to hang out when she needed a break. Not to mention he was kind of guilty for letting their little problem slip like that. Though he had made it more than clear to Allura and Keith that they weren’t to bother her with any questions and that there was nothing they could do to stop this from happening. Practically beating it into the Red Paladins thick head when he refused to accept his word for it. 

There had to be something he could do though. Something to make it a little easier. Passing by the kitchen Lance was pleased to see Hunk humming away as he worked at his newest culinary experiment. Getting a flash of inspiration Lance flounced his way over, laying himself over the Yellow Paladins wide back. 

'Hunky Monky! Fancy seeing you here.'

Hunk slowed his mixing somewhat to send him an amused glance. 'It’s not going to be ready for another few hours yet Lance. And no you can’t lick the spoon. Not this time.'

Lance pouted, 'but I always lick the spoon.'

'Yeah well, I think some of the stuff in here might just kill you if you do that. Best not chance it.'

Lance peered down into the lime green and orange mix in the bowl, giving it a suspicious glance. 'Are you trying to poison us Hunky?'

'It'll be fine once its cooked....probably. So you’ll just have to wait.'

'As worried as I am about your rather careless disregard for our lives in the face of culinary advancement, that’s not actually what I came over for.'

'Oh, well if you just want to hang grab a stool. What’s been happening in the castle today. I’ve mostly been down in the engine rooms fixing some tech. I could have done with Pidges help actually but I haven’t seen her all day.’

'Well, you've hit the nail on the head there hunka-hunka-burning love. Cause its actually the little green gremlin I’ve come to talk to you about.'

'Oh, everything’s okay right?' Hunk asked, stopping stirring entirely. Lance quickly waved a hand to reassure him.

'Yeah, its fine. Nothing to serious. Seems our little Pidges new found women hood isn’t treating her to well. She should be holed up in her room if she hasn’t moved...or gone to ground in the vents somewhere. Girls half ferret I swear.'

Hunk blinked, catching on and giving a sympathetic wince. 'Oh, boy. That sucks. '

'Yep' said Lance, popping the P. 'So I was wondering if you wouldn’t be your normal amazing self and whip up some of that, like hard green good you managed the other day. The one that was kind of like honey comb once you broke it and kind of tasted like grape if a grape had a fizzy aftertaste.'

Hunk paused for a moment, running through the ingredients he had in the kitchen. 'Should be able to, I think. Not much though. I’m almost out of that flavouring.'

'Well its only for Pidge so you shouldn’t need to make too much.'

'I’ll get on it then. You got anything else in mind?'

'A few things. I’ll tell you later if you want. I just spent the last few vargas being drilled by Allura and Keith on female menstrual cycle and general sex-ed. You would not believe what that boy doesn’t know. Or how much the Princess wants to know' Lance shuddered. The memories were to fresh.

'Dude' said Hunk, with feeling. Now sending a look of sympathy Lances way. He nodded gravely in response, just to emphasis the horror of the situation. 

'Right! I was basically at the point of demonstrating how a condom works...if, you know, we had any condoms. It wasn’t exactly the conversation I pictured having with the Princess...or Keith for that matter.'

'Dude' Hunk said, thinking it bared repeating. 

Lance waved at his bro as he wondered away from the kitchen. Promising to come and pick up the honeycomb good in a varga or so. Then he got straight to tracking down Coran. Finding him, luckily, already within the med bay. Taking stock of their supplies and apparently running maintenance on some of the more...esoteric looking equipment. Lance was glad that the pods were good for almost all melodies. He really didn’t want to speculate on what some of those machines were for. Not with all the spikes.

'Coran, my man! Just the guy I was looking for!' Lance said, piling into the room with a grin.

'My boy! What can I do you for? Everything alright?'

'Everything’s fine, I’m fine. But I was hoping for your help with something.'

'Of course, my boy. What do you need?'

'Well, for one do you Altean’s have any pain medications you think would work on humans? And not, like, kill us instantly?'

'I’m sure we could whip something up. I might need to take a few readings though to best suit it to your physiology. Are you in pain my boy?'

‘No, no. I’m alright. It’s for Pidge?’

‘Number five? Something wrong?’

‘She’s fine, just suffering from some stomach cramps.’

‘Most unusual, the goo should really prevent such trivialities. Unless poison perhaps. Dear Altea! Has she ingested some poison? I told Hunk to stop messing with my recipies! We must fix this at once. You go fetch number five my boy and I’ll get the dorranger ready. A good bit of suction, that’ll do the trick.’

Lance looked on with alarm at the rapidly spiralling situation, wincing when Coran started pulling out one of the odd machines. A contraption comprising of a rather large hose. Lance suddenly got a vivid image of its use.

‘Nope, nope, nope! We won’t be needing that. It’s nothing she ate, I’m sure of it. Just a few cramps. Perfectly normal.’

‘Are you sure my boy, I wouldn’t call cramps normal. Not if requiring medication.’

‘Ah, well. They sort of are. For humans, that is.’ This at least got Coran’s attention enough for him to slow down his frantic preparations.

‘What do mean, my boy? None of you have ever come to me with such a malady before.’

Lance felt his shoulders drop, face paling and exhaustion creep upon him as he looked at Coran’s slightly worried eyes. Not again.

Vargas latter, after Lance had finally got what he wanted from Coran, who was worst than both Allura and Keith put together, Lance retrieved his offering from Hunk, and gifts in hand went to find Pidge. Dinner had been a noticeably quiet affair, Pidge absent, Lance to tired to talk and three of the other four still looking shell shocked. The one time Keith had tried to ask a follow up question Shiro had banged the table so hard the goo flew high enough to hit the ceiling. The look of startled horror on his face silencing the Red Paladin. Much to Lance’s relief. If Keith wanted to know anything more he was going to have to ask someone else. Lance was done.

Lance stood outside Pidge’s room, packaging in hand. He looked down to the multi coloured mice at his feet. ‘You’re sure she’s in there?’ They twitched their whiskers and the small red and blue one scampered around, forming an ‘O’ with their tails. Lance took this as a conformation and with a deep breath knocked on the door.

‘Pidge, you in there. It’s Lance.’

‘Go away Lance’ came the reply, groggy like she had just woken up, or was still in pain.

‘I’ve got some stuff for you.’

‘Go away Lance!’

‘It’s to help with your current…situation. Specially made. I’ve even got Hunks honeycomb goo! Last bit anywhere in the castle…though I suppose if you don’t want it I can just keep it to myself.’

There was a silence and Lance impatiently tapped his foot. The mice jumped on it for a ride and he frowned down at them, the menaces. A moment later there was a whoosh as the door opened and Lance looked up to find Pidge’s hazel eyes glaring at him. Tired and worn out, hair greasy and mussed, eyes tight with slight pain. Lance was quick to thrustHunks offering into her unresisting hands.

‘Right’ he started, striding forward and pushing Pidge back into the room as she fumbled with the package. As always Pidge’s room was a mess of epic proportions, scrap metal, wires, pictures and odd knick knacks scattered everywhere. There was barely enough room to walk across the floor to the bed, which itself was a nest of messy blankets and half finished projects. There was only one clear spot on the dresser, where Pidges laptop normally took pride of place when it wasn’t in use.

Lance put the rest of his load down on the clear spot. ‘So I have here water and some more goo packets, ‘cause you missed dinner And here is some pain medication that should help, hopefully. Coran did a number of tests’ Lance winced, rubbing his arm. He could have done without knowing what some of the other medical equipment was for. Especially with all the needles. ‘But he made it very clear you weren’t to take more than one a day. Otherwise he’s not too sure what the side effects could be. So I’m trusting you to follow his instructions, no matter how bad it is.’ Lance said sending the still discombobulated Pidge and serious look. They blinked back at him before scowling.

‘I can follow instructions Lance,’ snappy as always. Lance gave them a pass for being rude this one time. He didn’t even want to think about how shit her day had been so far. Pidge clambered back into her mess, watching Lance keenly, nibbling on a bit of the honeycomb goo.

‘Well there’s enough for six days here so if you need more you’ll need to go talk to him. There’s also…these. I managed to get Coran to make something which seemed similar enough using the synthesisers. Figured they might be a bit better than…whatever you’re using now.’

Pidge took the little white square he handed to her gingerly, fiddling with it slightly before stilling when they figured out what it was. Lance felt himself blush in response to their own flustered face. ‘Yeah, so there’s, like, a good fifty here. So I’ll leave you to go…change, or whatever you call it.’

‘Right, yep. I’ll…do that’ said Pidge, face a bright red as she clutched the would be sanitary pad close to her. Refusing to make eye contact. Lance quickly backed out the door, retreating from the awkward atmosphere.

‘Right, well, that was everything. Talk to you later Pidgey. Try to get some sleep. Don’t forget to drink the water.’

‘Wait!’ Lance paused from where he was half way out the door, one arms gripping the frame to stop his momentum, glancing back to a fidgeting Pidge. She fiddled some with the pad, looking form that to the food supplies to the honeycomb and back. ‘Er, I just wanted to say…thanks. For doing this and being so…casual about it all. I really didn’t know what to do when Shiro bugging me so this…helps.’

Lance smiled, offering her a thumbs up, ‘No problem Pidgey. Anything for my favourite Green Paladin. Ahh, but word of warning I had to explain some…things, to Allura and Coran. Keith too. So don’t be surprised if they go asking you questions.’ Lance had a sudden dastardly thought. ‘You might want to talk to Shiro though. He was feeling _really_ guilty about it. Wanted to make sure you were okay, and all that.’

‘Really’ Pidge frowned, looking unsure, ‘he couldn’t have just come and ask me?’

‘Ah, well, you know space dad. He didn’t want to make you feel awkward. But he really was worried. Said he felt just _awful_ that he couldn’t do anything or understand how you feel. You should tell him about it. Y’know, _in detail_.’ Lance grinned, slipping out the door. Revenge was sweet.

  1. **Romantic Love**



Lance honestly hadn’t meant for this to happen but he wasn’t complaining. Not one bit. Keith’s mouth was hot on his, his tongue hungry and desperate as his own. Their hands scrabbled at each other’s armour, wanting to find skin and warmth. Neither of them wanted to be the one to pull away to take their paladin suits off so they were stuck merely grunting in disappointment when instead their hands found nothing but hard Altean steal. It made where they could touch, their mouths, their cheeks, their panting hurried breaths, even hotter. Even more frantic. 

They had only meant to spar, honestly. Keith had approached Lance not soon after dinner asking if he wanted to run a few simulations. Now, before Lance and Keith had managed to get over themselves enough to finally hook up, as Pidge so eloquently put it, Lance would spend most of his evenings either hanging out with Hunk, chilling with Blue, or pampering himself with a good facial regime. Since starting to date Keith however, many of his evenings had be spent hanging out with the Red Paladin instead. Making out in dark corridors of the castle and laughing as they snuck past Shiro’s disapproving frowns on his nightly patrols. So Lance supposed he shouldn’t have been to surprised that this is where their sparing had led them. He just hadn’t meant for his evening to take this kind of turn quiet so early.

The thing was, Keith was hot, capital H, _Hot_ , and now that Lance could think that, and say that, it was a very hard fact to ignore. Add to the fact that he was panting and sweaty and Lance was actually winning for once…it hadn’t taken too much for things to tip from friendly sparing to heated making out.

So here they were, making on the floor of the training room in the late hours of the castle day, tongues twining together. Trying to press closer while their bulky chest plates clacked together. After trapping his hand betweens Keith’s neck and his collar guard for the third time Lance finally wrench himself away. Pushing up on his arms to hover over his boyfriend, both their chest heaving, lips tingling and swollen from heavy kisses.

Lance looked into Keith’s violet eyes, seeing the heat in his own blood reflected back at him. Desperately, not willing to part longer than needed, Lance worked to take off his chest plate. Keith pushing him off to start doing the same. The white armour went flying, Lance throwing his chest and arm guards away to clatter across the floor, quickly joined by the Red Paladins own matching set. Then they were on each other again, kissing and panting. Hands wondering over the play of muscles under their suits. Keith was under Lance again, legs slotting together. Keith pressed up all along his front, a solid line of heat, causing the pooling want in his gut to burn brighter.

Their hips brushed, causing the both of them to let out surprised moans, erections pressing together underneath the confines of their suits. Keith managed to wiggle one of his hands under the black fabric at Lance’s neck. Causing shivers to break out over his skin as the burning palm ran down his back, sliding the suit open. Lance tried to do the same thing, having a bit more trouble since Keith was currently pressed flat to the floor by his weight. One strong leg hooked around his own as the Red Paladin pulled them together. Their erections once again meeting in their messy rutting. It distracted Lance long enough that his hand paused below the rim of Keith’s own suit. His groan falling onto the red splotchy skin of his boyfriend’s creamy neck, where he had be previously kissing and sucking with great urgency.

Keith made a strained sound at his pause, tipping his neck back to give him more room. Encouraging him to continue. Lance wiggled his fingers into the seam of the under suit, pulling it away and down to give him more room. Latching his mouth onto Keith’s coller bone as it was revealed. Tasting the sweat gathered there from their spar. Revelling in the sharp hiss of pleasure it received. Keith scrambling to last his own mouth onto Lances neck, biting down sharply at another brush of their lower half’s. It didn’t take them to long to get a rhythm going, rutting against each other like the horny teenagers they were. Both struggling to peel the suit off the other. Distracted by every new patch of skin, new expanses of muscle to caress and taste and admire.

Lance sat up, hips straddling the boy beneath him, pulling his suit of his arms and leaving it to pool at his waist. Panting hard he looked down at Keith. The rest of his breath stolen from his lungs at the sight. Keith was just so…pretty. All laid out like that. Staring up at Lance with wide, wide eyes. Heat pooled low in his stomach and burning his pale skin from his chest to his flaming cheeks. Swollen mouth open and panting, slick with saliva from where they had been kissing. Hair a messy black spill on the white floor, haloing his face as he lay there looking up at Lance like he was just enthralled. Just as blown away that this was happening. That they were actually here, together, heading rapidly towards Lance very first sexual experience.

It all had something big and giddy bubbling up in his chest. Something aching and wanting and kind of nervous, causing his breath to hitch. Lance could hardly believe this was true. Could hardly believe that Keith had picked him of all people. That he liked him back and was just as obsessed, just as aching to be together as Lance was. 

Lance wanted to keep that, wanted to hold on to it. To be good enough and give enough to keep Keith looking at him like that. All open and vulnerable and trusting. Finally showing what was really underneath that prickly exterior of his. Wanted to see that face again and again.

Wanted to do other things to. To keep playing footsies under the breakfast table even though it drove Allura mad. Wanted to keep smooching him on the cheek to gross Pidge out, wanted to build blanket forts and spar and compete and fall asleep together. Wanted to have it all. All the good things and the bad things. The soft things as well as all the heated things he could think of. Wanted to share it all with Keith.

Lance didn’t know how to say that. To take the surging all encompassing feeling sin his chest and bring them forth. Didn’t know what to do or how to react to the sudden realisation. Mind half scrambled from pleasure and the rest of his thoughts swept away by Keith’s burning violet eyes.

Lance helped Keith out of his own suit, reverently running his hands up the revealed skin of his torso. The fluttering of Keith’s abdominals, the hitch in his breath as he brushed gently over one nipple towards his throat. All of it took his breath away. Rendered him stupid with want and a tight urgent feeling. The absolute need to let Keith know. Know just how much he meant to Lance. How he wanted to give him everything he wanted. How he wanted to _be_ everything he wanted.

‘Looking a little flushed there samurai. Don’t go making Red jealous.’ Keith looked up at Lance in incomprehension, not really listening to the words. Honestly, Lance himself wasn’t sure what he was saying. He fell down onto the boy beneath him, shivers breaking out at the feeling of skin on skin. Slick sweat and heat pooling together to have him quickly panting once more. Lance latched himself back onto Keith’s neck, determined to leave another hickey. Hand coming up to cautiously brush over a nipple once more. Keith’s hips jerked in response, Lance’s responding in kind. Starting up their stilted rhythm once again.

‘Is that a bayard in your pocket or are you just pleased to see me’ Lance rolled the nipple between his two fingers, pinching briefly. Feeling it pebble even more in his grip. Keith hissing in pleasure, scratching marks down his back. Slowly he kissed down the other paladins throat, breathing deeply.

‘Baby if you were words, you’d be fine print’ another pinch and he was there, licking at his prize. Causing Keith to jerk into his mouth once again with a groan. Leg tightening where it was thrown about his waist. Everything was becoming hazy with pleasure and heat.

‘Do you work at a museum? Cause you’re a true work of art’ Lance said, having sucked at the pebbled flesh till it was nice red. Working his way over to its twin. Breath laboured, hips rolling in small tight circles against Keith’s, more and more desperate.

Lance panted, trying to concentrate slightly, to angle his hips so their erections could rub together more firmly. One hand reaching down to grip Keith’s thigh. Becoming distracted, digging into the flesh of his ass and squeezing gently. ‘Are you from Tennessee? Cause you’re the only ten I see.’

‘Ahh, humm, Lance stop ta-talking’ panted Keith at last, face flaming. Lance thought he was trying to glare but his mouth had dropped into an ‘o’ of pleasure as Lance finally got the angle right. Using his grip on Keith to move him where he wanted, messaging his ass check as he did so. Appreciating the feel of it in his palm. Damn, he couldn’t wait to touch it for real. Get a good proper look at the ass he had been obsessing about for weeks now. Keith would let him right? He certainly seemed to be enjoying himself.

Lance sat up right slightly, dethatching his mouth from Keith’s other nipple. Putting his weight into his thrusts. Staring down at that open moaning mouth and hazy dark purple eyes. ‘Do-do you have a map?’ he panted, mouth running without thought. ‘Cause I keep getting lost in your eyes.’

Keith groaned, the sound a mix of annoyance and pleasure as he threw one arm over his eyes. Exasperated, hips stuttering to a stop. ‘What are you doing?!’

‘I’m-I’m just talking’ defended Lance, nervous, giddy and defensive.

‘Well stop talking!’

‘Hay, I’m trying to woo you!’ Lance defended.

Keith uncovered his eyes, glaring up at him. It probably would have been more effective if he wasn’t still flushed. ‘Seriously! Right now!? Who says that!?’

‘I do! Got a problem Mullet?!’

‘I’m already woo’d you idiot! Or did this not give you a clue’ Keith snapped, locking both legs round Lances hips now and rolling his own. Making them both jump from the pleasure. Lance panted, glaring down slightly even as he couldn’t help moving his hips again. Small tight circles. Keith bit his bottom lip, trying to hold in his moans in response.

‘T-thats not, haaaa, what I meant!’

‘Then w-what did you mean? Fuck, yes, don’t stop’ moaned Keith, throwing his head back. Lance couldn’t answer for a moment, entire world taken up by the heat in his groin and the sight of Keith’s pale neck, splotched with the hickeys Lance had given him.

‘I meant, I meant…properly.’

‘How is this, yes, yes! right there!…not properly, haaaa’ keened Keith, nails dug deep into Lances shoulders.

‘Idiot Mullet! I meant until you fall in love with me too!’ cried Lance, pace increasing, pulse racing. So close, so close. He was so close…

Keith’s hips stuttered to a stop, his moans ceasing. Lance blinked, not understanding, mind stuck on his impending orgasm. Wide beautiful purple eyes stared up at him. Lance brain tripped, his own words echoing back at him. He felt himself go white, sudden dread pooling in his stomach.

‘T-tha-thats n-not what I-what I…I mean’ he stuttered, stuck. He hadn’t meant to say that.

He barely had the power of thought to think it. He struggled, tongue swollen and throat closed. He didn’t want to take it back. He hadn’t been _lying_. He just hadn’t been _ready_. Too late now, once again Lances mouth had jumped the gun, spilled his feelings out into the world, premature and vulnerable and far too heavy. Lance could only look at his boyfriend, willing him to react in some way. To push him off and leave the room or continue like he hadn’t said anything at all.

Keith stared, distressingly still. Slowly, so slowly Lance thought his heart might just pound out of his chest, Keith’s palms slid from his shoulders, up his neck, to cup his cheeks. Lance stared at him, desperately reaching for his eyes. Begging that Keith would just let it go. To not push him away. To let Lance explain.

Rough calloused thumbs ran under his eyes gently, Keith finally looking away and biting his bottom lip. Pulling Lance down with the gentlest pressure, bring their faces close. Breath puffing over each other’s lips, warmth shared between them. Lance stared, watching the twitching of those enchanting lips, eyes locked, following the deep, _deep_ flush that spread over Keith’s neck, up his ears, onto his cheeks. Brighter than before.

‘Idiot’ Keith chided softly, finally making eye contact. Lance felt himself stop breathing. Swirling purple eyes full of liquid warmth, of equal yearning. ‘I told you. I’m already woo’d.’

‘Oh’ whispered Lance, something happening in his chest. Something big. His heart physically hurt with all the thumping. ‘Really?’

‘Really’

‘Like, really, really forealises?’

Keith paused, rolling his eyes just briefly. ‘Yes Lance, really, really forealises.’

‘Oh’ Lance repeated. A smile was spreading across his face, the feeling in his chest expanding to encompasses his entire being. He felt to full, skin buzzing, heart thundering, eye swimming. ‘You really…?’

‘I, yeah…yeah. I mean, I think so…I’ve never…not like this’ said Keith, biting his lip once more. Magnetising Lances eyes to the plump flesh. Yearning.

‘Yeah, yeah me neither.’

That seemed to give Keith some surprise, ‘really? What about Nyma, or Allura?’

Lance shook his head, eyes locked, head lowering those final few inches. ‘Not the same. Not like this.’

‘Oh’ said Keith and then they were kissing. Distance closed to nothing between them. Lance heart exploding in his chest. Incandescent with joy. He felt like dancing, like shouting, like exclaiming to the whole universe that Keith actually liked him. Loved him. Loved him back! They were _in love_ , probably. That would involve breaking their lip lock though and Lance was in no hurry to do that. Their kisses before had been full of heat and desperation, teeth clicking with their haste. This was different. Slow and deep and lingering. Still slightly clumsy, both of them still fairly inexperienced, but perfect. Perfect for them.

Slowly it came to an end, both of them leaning back an inch. Eyes fluttering open to lock with the other. Both swirling with heat and warmth and love. Nervous excitement and giddy happiness. Lance could feel the grin and blush spreading across his cheeks. Keith’s own shy smile twitching in response. Making Lance heart trip all over itself again. So cute!

Keith looked down, eyes flickering back down to their bare chests, the way their bodies were still pressed firmly together. His legs still cradling Lance loosely to him. He squeezed his thighs, flicking his eyes upwards, the heat re-igniting in an instant. Sparks dancing between their flesh. Lance’s breath hitched, hand trailing from where it still rested on Keith’s thigh round to his front. Fingers dipping just slightly under his suit, inches from where all the heat in his body was pooling.

‘…can I?’ he breathed, barely moving. Keith shook, fingers like burning brands on his arms. His entire skin alight with the touch. The anticipation. Tipping his head back he again closed his eyes, breath hitching as those fingers dipped lower, grazing their prize.

‘Idiot’ Keith panted fondly, set alight under those blue eyes.

  1. **Paternal Love**



Lance bopped his finger against the tiny, tiny - oh my god, it was so freaking tiny! - nose in front of him. Pulling back quickly as it sent the appendage twitching away and resulted in a little mew of irritation. Lance couldn’t help smiling down sappily, enamoured. It was just so cute! So precious! They were so precious. So precious and so tiny and _his_. His to keep, his to look after, his to protect and to love. For the rest of his life.

Lance might have only been a parent for all of a week now, and a hell of a week at that, but he already couldn’t imagine his life without them. Without this own little bundle of purple fluffy joy. So small and fragile and wholly reliant on him to survive. Lance was _never_ going to let them go. Not even when they no doubt grew into the normal eight feet tall wall of muscle most Galra were. Even then Lance would only be able to remember them like this. So small, cradle in his arms, barely larger than his own two hands put together.

It hadn’t exactly been Lance’s plans to become a father. Well it had, vaguely, when the war was over a few years down the road he always assumed things would just…happen, eventually. He certainly hadn’t meant for it to happen now, at twenty-ish, in the middle of clearing out the universe of a ten thousand year dictatorship, while on a mission to check out the distress signal coming from a small, out of the way moon. The only reason Lance had gone alone was because they already had a strike planned on a nearby planet to take back the mineral mines from the Galra and it had been deemed too important to post-pone. Not wanting to leave the distress signal unchecked Allura had sent Lance, who happened to be on the bridge at the time, to quickly wormhole over and check it out. With the idea that he join the fight ASAP.

What Lance had found was a tragedy. There were no other words for it. A crashed vessel, obviously Galra, had put him on edge but didn’t stop him from investigating. Inside he found one very injured, very pregnant Galra, already slipping into death. It was abundantly clear their injuries were just too great. Their legs were crushed by the wreckage, laser burns on their back, burns over their fur. Blood was pooling rpidly. Lance had tried, he really did, but both he and the Galra knew they wouldn’t make it. There was no way Lance could get them to the pods in time.

The Galra had known it to. Lance still doesn’t know if they were a rebel or part of the empire. A civilian or a soldier. All he knows was, that in the face of their own death, with only a paladin of Voltron, general enemy to all Galra (Blade excepting), they had begged him to save not themselves, but their unborn child. So that’s what Lance had done. Even now that he’s had time to think back on it Lance isn’t sure how he delivered the tiny little purple bean of a person. It was a blur of adrenalin, panic and rushed decisions made in the heat of the moment.

Either way it resulted in Lance returning to the castle and the ongoing battle with a newborn infant, still wet with blood and other body fluids, cradled to his chest, armour off to hopefully offer comfort and share some body heat. Luckily it seemed the rest of the gang wasn’t having too much trouble, the Galra wholly taken by surprise. That hadn’t stopped them chewing him out for landing in the hanger instead of joining the dog fight but honestly what was Lance meant to do? He couldn’t go spinning around laser fire with a newborn on his chest. It wasn’t safe! Lance had _promised_ to keep them safe.

Unsurprisingly there had been a mess of reactions upon finding out his reason for skipping out. The more responsible members of Voltron pointed out that the front lines of war were not exactly the best place for a child. Lance had been prepared to rile against them. To fight for his right to look after the little life he had helped bring into the world, but Allura had put her foot down.

When she started setting up a call to the Blade, the only source of friendly Galra they had, Lance had retreated. Taking the little bundle of joy with him. Wrapping them as best he could in a spare blanket, cradling them close. Singing to them just as his own mother had sung to him. Pressing their little scrunched face close to his heart, in the hollow of his throat, nuzzling their soft, soft baby fuzz. Sure that this would be his only chance. His heartbroken before he even finished falling in love. Just one more scar caused by the war.

That was…not what happened. Amazingly Lance had Kolivan, of all people, to thank for being allowed to keep his new son. The new fluffy centre of his world.

So, apparently Galra infants imprinted on their parents. Not in the folling-the-first-person-they-see like a duckling, but in a much more complicated, life-force-sharing-quintessence-resonance way. The fact that Lance Lance had even managed to imprint on the Galra, to supposedly share his life force with theirs when he wasn’t their natural parent, was a miracle in and of itself. Resulting in no small amount of respect and awe from the Blade, including the stone faced Kolivan, who had popped over to see the miracle in person. It had been explained, in no uncertain terms, that removal of this bond would result in, at best, severe mental and emotional developmental problems for the little baby Galra and, at worse, death.

So, yeah. Even Allura dropped her arguments after that. Now Lance had a new little son, who was not only physically, but also mystically wholly dependent on him for the first several years of their life. Lance didn’t mind. In fact, he was trilled. It had taken nothing, absolutely nothing, for his heart to be stolen. The baby’s eyes hadn’t even opened yet but they already had ever single speck of his heart. Clutched in their tiny clawed fists. Enamoured didn’t even begin to cover it.

So here he was, with the new crib Hunk had cobbled together, discovering the first joy of parenting; insomnia. Now the baby Galra didn’t wail or shriek quite like what a human baby would, but they made their distress known all the same. Increasingly high pitched chirps and trilling, quiet but distinct. A week in and Lance was already conditioned to awaken at the first little whine, rocking the baby till their tiny wails changed to small hiccupping chirps and purring.

Lance sighed, cradling them close, half sung half slurred lullaby soothing them into quiet. Gently, so, so gently, he collapsed onto his bed, being sure not to jolt them awake. Content to let his new son snuggle down into his chest, soothed by the beat of his heart. Lance leaned back into his pillows, looking down to where his two hands covered the entirety of the new born on his chest. Feeling like a massive, clumsy, giant when given care of such a tiny fragile life. Little rabbit heart thumping fast against his own, little squeally snores slipping forth.

Lance couldn’t help but stare. Mind still, but heart…heart so full he felt like he might burst. Or drown, smothered by the strength of his feelings. Obviously he had heard it before, from cousins and his sister-in-law, mother, aunts, uncles, brother, just how instantly they fell in love. Just how consuming the feelings for your own child could be.

He wasn’t prepared. Nothing could have prepared him for this. It was bigger, stronger, more all encompassing and life changing than anything before. Being kidnapped by a giant blue mecha cat and taken to fight in a universe spanning war…pffft, that was nothing. Nothing but a grain of sand, a speck, a flash of bewilderment in the canvas of his life compared to this. Now and until he died there would be no point in Lance’s life that didn’t somehow revolve arounf the tiny life cradled to him right now.

He breathed in deeply, gently exhaled, blinked away the sudden wetness in his eyes.

‘Isandro’ he breathed, trying it out. It was more traditional than Lance had been thinking but, ‘Isandro McClain. How about that? What do you think little one? Are you a Isandro?’ Lance asked, talking into the quiet room and his sleeping treasure. Lance settled, feeling the name and the future settle in around him. ‘Yeah, I think so too.’

The newly named Isandro McClain slept on. Safe and warm, and though he didn’t know it yet, so, so loved.

**+1. Self Love**

‘Mama.’

‘Not now sweetie.’

‘But Mama…’

‘Not now sweetie, I’m making dinner.’ Lance looked up at his Mama, dark curly hair frazzled, apron already splattered with sauce and hands busy chopping, stirring, tidying. Not pausing for a moment. Lance bit his lip and decided to go find one of his siblings.

He traipsed through the house. There was the strumming of guitar strings coming from Louis’s room, which meant he was composing. Making it a fifty-fifty chance on whether he would be happy to indulge Lance or chuck him out for ‘interrupting his creative flow’. He knew Marco was in the garage and Lance wasn’t allowed in there unless invited, because apparently an eleven year old could not be trusted with power tools. Something Lance very much disagreed with but which his Papa refused to listen to reason on. Lance headed to his own room, finding his older sister Rachael on her phone. Freshly painted pink toes propped up on the bed to dry.

‘I don’t know Alex. I thought Jonney was into Shannah but then he went and asked Amanda to the beach. I saw it myself.’

Lance stood awkwardly in the doorway of his own room. The swirling in his stomach meant he didn’t feel quite up to bouncing in and announcing his presence by throwing himself onto the bed and being as obnoxious as possible. Instead he hovered in the doorway, not knowing if he should interrupt. Perhaps sensing his presence Rachael looked up from where she had been examining her nail polish collection. Scrunching her nose and sending him the normal stink eye. She’d taken to being annoyed on sight with Lance in the recent years.

‘Hang on a min Alex, my little brother just walked in.’ She tucked the phone against her shoulder, muffling the receiver. ‘What do you want?’ she hissed.

Lance bit his lip, shifted his weight. ‘Umm…’

‘Spit it out!’ Rachael didn’t have the patience to deal with his mumbling, ‘I’m talking right now.’

‘Err, well, I wanted to ask you something.’

Rachael frowned at him ‘I don’t have time to play you little dweeb. Go bother someone else.’

Lance huffed, ‘But…!’

‘Get out Lance!’ She chucked a stuffed tiger at him from the bed, missing by a good foot.

‘Hay! This is my room too!’ Lance snapped, responding on reflex.

‘Well, it was mine first you little fuck tard! So I can do what I want.’

‘I’ll tell Mama you swore!’ cried Lance, backing out of the doorway as he did.

‘Yeah and I’ll tell her you broke her favourite record, you shit. Now get out! Honestly Alex you’re so lucky you don’t have little sibling. They’re sooooo the worst.’ Lance slammed the door, sticking his tongue out once it was shut.

Now irritated and upset he stomped all the way down the hall and into the big bathroom. His argument with Rachael quickly slipped from his mind, the same play having been carried out a hundred times by now, quickly forgotten. Instead, Lance felt the return of the swirling distress and…and he didn’t even know! Lance couldn’t put a finger on it, this irritated, draining, trembling feeling. Scooping him out from the inside, turning him inside out and displaying all the odd pokey bits, the blemishes, the not-quite-rights. The marks and scratches and scars for everyone to gawk at.

Lance looked at his skin, his eyes, his long slightly pointy nose, his sharp chin and the chub still clinging to his cheeks. His soft brown hair, fair and a little thin. He smiled, watched the curl of his thin lips, gaze caught on his slightly wonky front tooth. Lance pinched his lips shut quickly, scrunching his brow and seeing how the lines appeared on his forehead, the cringle of his nose. He leaned closer to the mirror, so close he fogged the surface with his breath. He scrutinised his own eyes, looking into the blue he had inherited from his mother. Even there he was imperfect, bright blue for the most part, but with ring of yellow round the pupil, flecks seeping to the edges. 

Lance pulled away from the mirror, whipping at the condensation, his nails a bright yellow, little daisies painted in the middle. Lance bit his lip, picking at the bright blue smiley face on his pointer finger. He’d been…sort of proud of it. Showing it off to his friends at school. The nail brushes were always so fiddly to use and it took _ages_ to get the layer to dry without running and stuff. Lance’s family not being able to afford those fancy brands that dried quickly. Lance had spent the day before industrially decorating himself, making sure not a single spot was out of place. Delicately painting on the little drawings. He’d wanted to show off his skills.

He hadn’t expected the laughter. The comment about letting his sisters push him around. Lance hadn’t liked that either, not least because it was mostly true; had made it clear that the work was his own. His masterpiece, not his smelly sisters. That had not improved the situation. The laughs had gone from teasing to mocking. The more he defended himself the more voices joined in, the more things they found to comment about.

Everything had been up for ridicule; his pointy nose, short stature, chubby cheeks, mixed skin tone, the white caucasian of his grandpapa milking out the dark brown of his other ancestors. Turing him caramel instead of mocha. After that it was hobbies; his liking of sissy things, his playing dress up, his love of knitting, being a Mama’s boy, his hand me down clothes which he patched himself.

Lance bit his lip, telling himself it was the pain that caused the sting in his eyes and nothing else. He continued to pick at his nails, the delicate little petals of the daisies, the beach he had painted on his other hand with blue and yellow. The glitter he added to the galaxy on his thumb. He went to rub it off, a swirling frustrated burning thing in his throat. Paused, nail biting into the middle of the swirling stars, little sparkles on bright blue and purple.

It was really…pretty.

Lance looked up, the mirror reflecting his movements. His lip was now red with his worrying but everything else was the same. Lance ran one finger slowly down his nose, the arch perfectly smooth and straight. Slowly poked his cheeks, remembering the pinching and squishing from grandma and aunties and Mama and the neighbourhood ladies. The kisses and hugs. Fiddled with his hair, same shade as his Mama downstairs, same shade as his sisters. Who plaited it all pretty and put it up in curls, like waves of chocolate falling down their back. The scraggy noogies given by his brothers, the way his farther would ruffle it when he did something to make him proud.

Lance smiled again, grin from his Papa and dimples from his Mama. Same as his Grandma. Eyes crinkling with the stretch of his lips. Blue as the sea, blue as the sky, blue like his Mama, like his Grandpa. Sparkling and bright against his brown skin. Mixed and unique, like his family. Like him. Leandro McClain, a pick and mix of everything before him.

Lance liked pick and mix. He always begged his Papa for it when they went to the cinema, stole and fought and swapped with his siblings during the trailers. Carefully trading to acquire a horde of sherbet gummies for later, because they were by far the superior ones. No matter what anyone else said.

He tapped his fingers on the sink, nails filed, perfectly decorated. Far nicer than the other boys in school. Nicer than most of the girls. Lance was obviously the more superior nail artist. He bet he could knit better than anyone else too. Sew as well, he thought, looking to the bright rainbow patch he had used to cover a hole in his jacket. The fine line of stitching in his jeans. He was good and those things. Awesome at them.

Lance liked that. Liked being good at something. Liked knitting with his Grandma and learning to sew with his Mama. Designing his patches with his brothers, decorating his nails with his sisters. So what if the boys at school thought it was girly. What did they know any way? They probably had no idea what an under coat was, _or_ a back stitch.

Lance _liked_ his hobbies and his Mama and the rest of his family, even smelly Rachael, and he liked his skin, and his hair, and his eyes, and his slightly long nose. He’d grow into it anyway, same with his big hands and feet, Auntie Anaa said so.

He was sure half of those other boys had never even heard of deodorant. What a joke. Lance would be the prettiest, fanciest, most handy boy in school. He would have the girls _flocking_ to him to paint their nails, and braid their hair, just like he did for his little cousins. Everyone could just watch him and wish they looked half as good.

Lance smiled properly, slightly wonky tooth front and centre, but Lance didn’t focus on it. Instead, his eye caught something on the counter, a bright green packet with a women’s face on it. Smooth and beautiful. Blinding. Lance picked it up, a sort of twitchy happy feeling zipping through him. Excitement and anticipation. He knew what this was, this was the stuff Ronnie put on after a shower, complaining that her skin was dry. He read the bottle, taking in the claims of ‘hydration and brightening, irresistible smoothness’ and decided immediately that it was exactly what he needed.

After all, even though the lady on the packet was attractive, and his sister was pretty, and his Mama was beautiful, they all still used this stuff. Moisturised and primed. Doing their best to make themselves eye catching, forcing people to pay attention to them. To compliment them. Lance wanted that.

When Veronica came home later and managed to pound her way into the locked bathroom through sheer persistence, it was to find Lance had emptied out her face mask and moisturisers all over the bathroom. Most of the goop finding its way to the sink, but some on her baby brothers face. He was pinching the skin under his eye, Mama’s rejuvenating roller in hand. She snatched it from his fist.

‘What are you doing?!’

‘Hay, I was using that!’

‘You’ve used my entire mud mask! Do you know how much that cost me! What were you doing? You know that stuffs not for playing.’

‘I just wanted to try it!’

‘Damn it, Lance’ sighed Veronica, leaning back onto the sink. ‘Why are you like this? Couldn’t you go, like, roll in the mud or something like other boys?’

Lance crossed his arms, biting his lip and looking away. Fighting the sting of his sister’s words. ‘Well, what if I don’t want to be like other boys?’

Something in his petulant tone must have clued Veronica in. She paused, straightening to look at him probably. Lance could feel her waiting, questioning gaze. Slowly, he glanced up at her. ‘What if I like being pretty and having pretty things?’

‘That’s…’ started Veronica, blinking in surprise at her fidgeting little brother. She felt like she needed to tread carefully. The moment had gained an amount of weight she really hadn’t been ready for when she first marched in to pee. ‘I, okay. Yeah, that’s okay. But you can’t just go taking my stuff. Or Mama’s, or Rachael’s. Our skin tones are different for one…and you’re meant to wait for the mud mask to _dry_ before taking it off.’

Lance looked up, eyes bright, seeing the small, indulgent twitching lips of his sister. ‘Show me! I wanna know how to do it! I wanna be beautiful!’

‘Yeah, yeah okay, I will. Whatever. Take this’ she grabbed another unopened green pot from on top of the mirror cabinet. ‘Go grab a towel from the cupboard and meet me in my room. I’ll show you how to do it properly and we can watch some telenovela re-runs.’

‘Yes! Thank you. Ronnie, you’re the best.’ Lance flung himself around his sisters waist, giving her a tight excited hug, smudging half congealed mud mask and moisturiser on her shirt.

‘Yeah, yeah. Love you too. Now get out and let me pee.’


End file.
